CQ Today's Midday Update (free email service) runs an important story, however unsurprising, that the President's plan to dismantle Social Security would not in fact help the African American community:

The Congressional Black Caucus today contested President Bush's assertion that his proposed Social Security overhaul would help African Americans.

On Jan. 11, Bush said diverting some of Social Security's payroll taxes into individual investment accounts would help black Americans create wealth to pass on to their heirs. Bush noted that black males have lower life expectancies than white males and women. Because of that, he said, Social Security is "inherently unfair to a certain group of people. And that needs to be fixed." But the Congressional Black Caucus said Bush's remarks overlooked black Americans' greater reliance on Social Security's survivor and disability benefits. While only 12 percent of the U.S. population, blacks are 17 percent of those receiving disability benefits, according to a research report for the group. Black children make up 22 percent of all children receiving survivor benefits, which go to widows, widowers and minors under age 18 who lose a parent. Social Security payroll taxes support all parts of the program, not just retirement benefits.

For more information on the President's dreadful plan, check out ThereIsNoCrisis.com.